This is an accepted version of this page
50-668: Campaigns Death and memorial Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. , and often referred to shorthand as MLK Day ) is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the third Monday of January each year. King was chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement , which protested racial discrimination in federal and state law and civil society. The movement led to several groundbreaking legislative reforms in
100-488: A filibuster against the bill and on October 3, 1983, submitted a 300-page document to the Senate alleging that King had associations with communists . Democratic New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan declared Helms' document a "packet of filth", threw it on the Senate floor, and stomped on it. President Ronald Reagan originally opposed the holiday, citing cost concerns. When asked to comment on Helms' accusations that King
150-543: A bill in Congress to make King's birthday a national holiday. The bill first came to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1979. It fell five votes short of the number needed for passage. Two of the main arguments mentioned by opponents were that a paid holiday for federal employees would be too expensive and that a holiday to honor a private citizen would be contrary to longstanding tradition (King had never held public office). Only two other figures have national holidays in
200-463: A bill to make King's birthday an official state holiday. South Carolina was the last state to recognize the day as a paid holiday for all state employees. Before the bill, employees could choose between celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day or one of three Confederate holidays . While all states now observe the holiday, some did not name the day after King. For example, in New Hampshire, the holiday
250-569: A petition to Congress to pass the law, termed by a 2006 article in The Nation as "the largest petition in favor of an issue in U.S. history". Senators Jesse Helms and John Porter East (both North Carolina Republicans ) led the opposition to the holiday and questioned whether King was important enough to receive such an honor. Helms criticized King's opposition to the Vietnam War and accused him of espousing "action-oriented Marxism ". Helms led
300-476: A treaty with Great Britain which unfairly treated American sailors. For many years, through 1820, it nominated presidential candidates (before the era of national nominating conventions). Since 2023, the House Democratic Leader has been Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York (the first African-American congressional party leader in U.S. history). He was elected to succeed longtime Democratic leader and
350-530: A union contract, might only receive their standard pay for working on a federal holiday, depending on the company policy. Federal law also provides for the declaration of other public holidays by the President of the United States . Generally the president will provide a reasoning behind the elevation of the day, and call on the people of the United States to observe the day "with appropriate ceremonies and activities." Examples of presidentially declared holidays were
400-400: Is Texas Independence Day , and "optional holidays", such as Good Friday . Private employers are not required to observe federal or state holidays, the key exception being federally-chartered banks. Some private employers, often by a union contract, pay a differential such as time-and-a-half or double-time to employees who work on some federal holidays. Employees not specifically covered by
450-535: Is a Black English contraction, or portmanteau, of the month 'June' and the date 'Nineteenth'. Juneteenth celebrates the date of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people of African descent located in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom from the slavery system in the United States." President Biden's annual proclamation in 2024 began, "On June 19, 1865, freedom finally came for the 250,000 enslaved people of Texas. That day, which would become known as Juneteenth,
500-472: Is a large employer, the holidays are expensive. If a holiday is controversial, opposition will generally prevent bills enacting them from passing. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. Day , marking King's birthday, took much effort to pass and for all states to recognize it. It was not until 2000 that this holiday was officially observed in all 50 states. The following list is an example of holidays that have been proposed and reasons why they are not observed at
550-578: Is considered a paid holiday for federal employees in the Washington, D.C., area by the Office of Personnel Management . It is not considered a federal holiday in the United States equivalent to the eleven holidays mentioned above. Although many states recognize most or all federal holidays as state holidays, the federal government cannot enact laws to compel them to do so. States can recognize other days as state holidays that are not federal holidays. For example,
SECTION 10
#1732868673105600-421: Is doing no more than recognizing the cultural significance of the holiday". Most of the 11 U.S. federal holidays are also state holidays. Five of the "floating" date holidays always fall on a Monday; the remaining floating holiday, Thanksgiving, is always on a Thursday. The rest are on fixed dates. A fixed date holiday that falls on a weekend (Saturday and Sunday) is usually observed for federal employees on
650-726: Is not a holiday in Canada. It is commemorated annually by the City of Toronto and City of Ottawa governments in Ontario and Montreal in Quebec. In 1984, during a visit by the U.S. Sixth Fleet , Navy chaplain Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff conducted the first Israeli presidential ceremony in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, held in the President's Residence , Jerusalem. Aura Herzog , wife of Israel's then-President Chaim Herzog , noted that she
700-470: The Democratic Party leadership in the chamber. In its roles as a party conference , the caucus writes and enforces rules of conduct and discipline for its members, approves committee assignments, and serves as the primary forum for development of party policy and legislative priorities. It hosts weekly meetings for these purposes and to communicate the party's message to members. When the caucus holds
750-548: The District of Columbia . As a general rule of courtesy, custom, and sometimes regulation, other institutions, such as banks, businesses, schools, and the financial markets , may be closed on federal holidays. In various parts of the country, state and city holidays may be observed concurrently with federal holidays. The history of national holidays in the United States dates back to June 28, 1870, when Congress created national holidays "to correspond with similar laws of States around
800-715: The House Democratic Caucus and 89–77 in the House Republican Conference ) with 5 members voting present or abstaining, while the final vote in the Senate on October 19, 1983, was 78–22 (41–4 in the Senate Democratic Caucus and 37–18 in the Senate Republican Conference ), both veto -proof margins. The holiday was observed for the first time on January 20, 1986. It is observed on the third Monday of January. The bill also established
850-663: The National Football League threatened to move Super Bowl XXVII , which was planned for Arizona in 1993, if the MLK holiday was voted down. In the November 1990 election, the voters were offered two King Day options: Proposition 301, which replaced Columbus Day on the list of paid state holidays, and Proposition 302, which merged Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays into one paid holiday to make room for MLK Day. Both measures failed to pass, with only 49% of voters approving Prop 302,
900-710: The New Hampshire legislature created "Civil Rights Day" and abolished its April " Fast Day ". In 1999, New Hampshire became the last state to name a holiday after King, which they first celebrated in January 2000 – the first nationwide celebration of the day with this name. In 1986, Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt , a Democrat, created a paid state MLK holiday in Arizona by executive order just before he left office, but in 1987, his Republican successor Evan Mecham , citing an attorney general's opinion that Babbitt's order
950-527: The "Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission" to oversee observance of the holiday, and Coretta Scott King , King's wife, was made a member of this commission for life by President George H. W. Bush in May 1989. Although the federal holiday honoring King was signed into law in 1983 and took effect three years later, not every U.S. state chose to observe the January holiday at the state level until 1991, when
1000-572: The Army arrived to enforce what had already been the law of the land for two and a half years—the Emancipation Proclamation". On October 3, 1789, at the request of the U.S. Congress, President George Washington issued a Thanksgiving proclamation designating November 26, 1789 as a day of "public thanksgiving and prayer" for the "People of the United States”. Thanksgiving has been proclaimed in
1050-644: The Civil Rights Movement as well as music. It always ends with everyone holding hands in a circle and singing " We Shall Overcome ". The Tribute is held on the last Sunday in January. 1986–2103 Observed on the third Monday in January. (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to a specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority , (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies Federal holiday in
SECTION 20
#17328686731051100-520: The District...and...in every State of the Union." Although at first applicable only to federal employees in the District of Columbia , Congress extended coverage in 1885 to all federal employees. The original four holidays in 1870 were: George Washington's Birthday became a federal holiday in 1879. In 1888 and 1894, respectively, Decoration Day (now Memorial Day ) and Labor Day were created. Armistice Day
1150-600: The State of Texas recognizes all federal holidays except Columbus Day, and recognizes the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and the day after Christmas as state holidays. Texas does not follow the federal rule of closing either the Friday before, if a holiday falls on a Saturday, or the Monday after if a holiday falls on a Sunday. Offices are open on those Fridays or Mondays. Texas has "partial staffing holidays", such as March 2 , which
1200-501: The U.S. for various months and days of the week, including March, August, September, November, December, and on Sundays. Celebrated on December 25 around the world, Christmas is the day that Christians remember the birth and incarnation of Jesus Christ . Christmas has been celebrated for over 2,000 years. In the United States, Christmas Day as a federal or public holiday is sometimes objected to by various non-Christians, usually due to its ties with Christianity . In December 1999,
1250-520: The U.S. honoring them: George Washington and Christopher Columbus . Soon after, the King Center turned to support from the corporate community and the general public. The success of this strategy was cemented when musician Stevie Wonder released the single " Happy Birthday " to popularize the campaign in 1980 and hosted the Rally for Peace Press Conference in 1981. Six million signatures were collected for
1300-470: The U.S., as designated by the government, is September 11 National Day of Service (9/11 Day). Cesar Chavez campaigned with him to call attention to the economic needs of farmworkers in the United States . Chavez used his speech on this day in 1990 to again call attention to the similarity between his campaign regarding pesticide issues and King's campaigns. He later was honored with the creation of Cesar Chavez Day in imitation of this holiday. The day
1350-770: The United States Federal holidays in the United States are 11 calendar dates designated by the U.S. federal government as holidays. On these days non-essential U.S. federal government offices are closed and federal employees are paid for the day off. Federal holidays are designated by the United States Congress in Title V of the United States Code ( 5 U.S.C. § 6103 ). Congress only has authority to create holidays for federal institutions (including federally-owned properties), employees, and
1400-629: The United States. Born in 1929, Martin Luther King ;Jr. 's actual birthday is January 15 (which in 1929 fell on a Tuesday). The earliest Monday for this holiday is January 15 and the latest is January 21. The Monday observance is similar for those federal holidays which fall under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act . The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed
1450-758: The Western Division of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio , in the case Ganulin v. United States , denied the charge that Christmas Day's federal status violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution , ruling that "the Christmas holiday has become largely secularized", and that "by giving federal employees a paid vacation day on Christmas, the government
1500-483: The belated June 19, 1865, announcement that enslaved people in the Confederate states had been freed by President Abraham Lincoln as of January 1, 1863. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, which declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free". A National Park Service fact sheet explains that "the word 'Juneteenth'
1550-456: The bill that created Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day . It was first observed three years later, although some states resisted making it a state holiday. It was finally celebrated both nationally and by each of the states in 2000. Dr. King's birthday is January 15th. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the law that made June 19th a federal holiday. Officially designated as " Juneteenth National Independence Day ", Juneteenth commemorates
Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Misplaced Pages Continue
1600-431: The closest weekday : a holiday falling on a Saturday is observed on the preceding Friday, while a holiday falling on a Sunday is observed on the succeeding Monday. The official names come from the statute that defines holidays for federal employees. 1938 (federal holiday) 1941 (received permanent observation date) Inauguration Day , held on January 20 every four years following a quadrennial presidential election ,
1650-532: The day as part of the break. Some employers use MLK Day as a floating or movable holiday . The national "Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service" was started by former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Harris Wofford and Atlanta Congressman John Lewis , who co-authored the King Holiday and Service Act. The federal legislation challenges Americans to transform the King Holiday into a day of citizen action volunteer service in honor of King. The federal legislation
1700-468: The day with an alternative holiday or observance. South Dakota is the only state to recognize Native American Day as an official state holiday. House Democratic Caucus The House Democratic Caucus is a congressional caucus composed of all Democratic representatives in the United States House of Representatives , voting and non-voting , and is responsible for nominating and electing
1750-468: The days of the funerals for former Presidents Ronald Reagan , George H. W. Bush , and Gerald Ford ; federal government offices were closed and employees given a paid holiday. In addition, occasionally the President will grant Christmas Eve as a holiday or partial holiday (the latter generally being 4 hours for full-time employees). Many federal holidays have been proposed. As the U.S. federal government
1800-733: The dream by slaying the dreamer, but – as the example of King's life shows – such people are always wrong. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed in the Japanese city of Hiroshima . In January 2005, Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba held a special banquet at the mayor's office as an act of unifying his city's call for peace with King's message of human rights. Every year since 1987, the Dr. Martin Luther King Tribute and Dinner has been held in Wassenaar , The Netherlands. The Tribute includes young people and veterans of
1850-543: The federal level. Some of these holidays are observed at the state level. Some Native American groups protest the observance of Columbus Day , mainly due to the controversy of Columbus' arrival to the Americas. Alaska , Colorado , Florida , Hawaii , Iowa , Louisiana , Maine , Michigan , Minnesota , New Mexico , Nevada , North Carolina , Oregon , South Dakota , Vermont , Washington , and Wisconsin do not recognize Columbus Day. Hawaii and South Dakota mark
1900-633: The first woman Speaker of the House in U.S. history Nancy Pelosi . At the Organizational Meeting on November 18, 2008, of the Democratic Caucus for the 111th Congress , Representative John B. Larson (D- Connecticut ) was elected Caucus Chairman by acclamation. The election was presided over by the outgoing chairman of the Democratic Caucus for the 110th Congress , former Representative Rahm Emanuel (D- Illinois ). Rep. Larson officially assumed
1950-567: The holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later on January 20, 1986. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. Official observance in each state's law as well as federal law occurred in 2000. The idea of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a holiday was promoted by labor unions in contract negotiations. After King's death, Representative John Conyers (a Democrat from Michigan ) and Senator Edward Brooke (a Republican from Massachusetts ) introduced
2000-524: The holiday to its occurrence just two weeks after the week between Christmas and New Year's Day , when many businesses are closed for part or all of it. The New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ both close for trading, and banks are generally closed. Additionally, many schools and places of higher education are closed for classes; others remain open but may hold seminars or celebrations of King's message. The observance of MLK Day has led to some colleges and universities extending their Christmas break to include
2050-687: The majority of seats, it is usually led by the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives who is assisted on the floor by the House Majority Leader and the party's Chief Whip. When in the minority, it is led by the House Minority Leader, assisted by the Chief Whip. The caucus has a Caucus Chairman and Caucus Vice-Chair (formerly called the Secretary). For the 118th Congress , Hakeem Jeffries
Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Misplaced Pages Continue
2100-536: The more popular of the two options; although some who voted "no" on 302 voted "yes" on Prop 301. Consequently, the state lost the chance to host Super Bowl XXVII, which was subsequently held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California . In a 1992 referendum, the voters, this time given only one option for a paid King Day, approved state-level recognition of the holiday. On May 2, 2000, South Carolina governor Jim Hodges signed
2150-474: The position of chairman on the first day of the 111th Congress, January 3, 2009. After his election as chairman at the Organizational Meeting on November 18, Chairman Larson presided over the election of Rep. Xavier Becerra (D- California ), who defeated Representative Marcy Kaptur of Ohio by a vote count of 175 to 67. Rep. Becerra likewise assumed his vice-chairmanship on January 3. Chairs are currently limited to two consecutive terms. The vice-chair of
2200-464: Was a communist, the president said "We'll know in thirty-five years, won't we", referring to the eventual release of FBI surveillance tapes that had previously been sealed . But on November 2, 1983, Reagan signed a bill into law, proposed by Representative Katie Hall of Indiana, to create a federal holiday honoring King. The final vote in the House of Representatives on August 2, 1983, was 338–90 (242–4 in
2250-652: Was elected as the Minority Leader , Katherine Clark became the Minority Whip and Pete Aguilar was chosen as the Caucus Chairman . Effective with the start of the 118th Congress , the chain of command conference leadership is as follows (from highest to lowest): The House Democratic Caucus, through its institutional antecedent, the Democratic-Republican caucus, was established on April 2, 1796, to stop
2300-529: Was especially proud to host this special event, because Israel had a national forest in honor of King, and that Israel and King shared the idea of "dreams." Resnicoff continued this theme in his remarks during the ceremony, quoting the verse from Genesis, spoken by the brothers of Joseph when they saw their brother approach, "Behold the dreamer comes; let us slay him and throw him into the pit, and see what becomes of his dreams." Resnicoff noted that, from time immemorial, there have been those who thought they could kill
2350-521: Was established in 1938 to honor the end of World War I , and the scope of the holiday was expanded to honor Americans who fought in World War II and the Korean War when it was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. In 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act gave several holidays "floating" dates so that they always fall on a Monday, and also established Columbus Day . In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed
2400-406: Was illegal, reversed Babbitt's decision days after taking office. Later that year, Mecham proclaimed the third Sunday in January to be "Martin Luther King Jr./Civil Rights Day" in Arizona, albeit as an unpaid holiday. This proposal was rejected by the state Senate the following year. In 1990, Arizona voters were given the opportunity to vote on giving state employees a paid MLK holiday. That same year,
2450-523: Was known as "Civil Rights Day" until 1999, when the State Legislature voted to change the name of the holiday to Martin Luther King Day. Several additional states have chosen to combine commemorations of King's birthday with other observances: Overall, as of 2019, 45% of employers gave employees the day off. The reasons for not providing the day off have varied, ranging from the recent addition of
2500-497: Was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on August 23, 1994. Since 1996, Wofford's former state office director, Todd Bernstein , has been directing the annual Greater Philadelphia King Day of Service, the largest event in the nation honoring King. Since 1994, the day of service has been coordinated nationally by AmeriCorps , a federal agency, which provides grants to organizations that coordinate service activities on MLK Day. The only other official national day of service in
#104895